"Keith G" wrote in message
...
But, on a more serious note, I have often wondered if 'tubed' CDPs
sound
any better (I've never heard one myself) - having witnessed a vast
number* of people here being staggered backwards to hear CDs
(including
their own) played through valve amps for the first time!!

Of course they sound DIFFERENT.

But have you actually *heard* one...??

Very many of each. Although "heard" may be the wrong term in the case of any
good amplifier. Any coloration you hear in almost all cases is the speakers
and the acoustic environment they are located in. If you do hear a major
difference caused by an amplifier, then the amp is seriously flawed.
And it's funny that when solid state amplifiers did get so close to the
ideal "piece of wire with gain" many years ago, some people started paying
big dollars for "better" cables :-)
Which is not to say there aren't some seriously flawed and even unstable
solid state designs around if you look hard enough. Just not as many as
seriously flawed tube designs these days.

"Better" is purely a *subjective opinion* in that case with large
numbers in
each camp.
*Objectively* there is no contest though.
The distinction is lost on non technical people unfortunately.

Lost on me, that's for sure - what is the distinction?

If you don't understand the difference between objective testing, and
subjective opinion, I suggest you do some basic research.

(I suspect you are describing the scenario where someone has been
listening to the music and says he prefers a particular player and
someone else who has been *measuring* stuff says 'No, you are
*wrong*!!'...??)

Put simply, everyone is entitled to their own opinion, regardless of it's
relationship to physical reality.
You cannot disprove someone's personal subjective opinion, despite the
number of flame fests on Usenet trying to do so.
But as the saying goes "opinions are like assholes, everyone's got one and
they're often full of ****".

MrT.